1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device having so-call slot-in type disk transporting means in which a disk inserted from an insertion opening formed on a case is transported within the case by a rotational force of transfer rollers.
2. Description of the Related Art
An in-dash type on-vehicle disk-storing disk device includes a case complying with 1 DIN or 2 DIN standards in size, and a slit-shaped insertion opening is formed on the front surface of the case.
A disk inserted from the insertion opening one by one is conveyed to a rotational driving unit (turn table) arranged within the case by transporting means provided in the case, and the center hole of the disk is cramped to the rotational driving unit.
In the disk storing-type disk device having a plurality of disks stored in the case, a plurality of disk holders are stacked vertically in the case, and one of the holders is selected and placed at a selected position. The disk inserted through the insertion opening is conveyed into the case by the transporting means and held by the holder arranged at the selected position. When the rotational driving unit intrudes between the holder arranged at the selected position and its holder, the center hole of the disk held by the holder is cramped and rotated by the rotational driving unit.
In such a slot-in type disk device, after the disk conveyed within the case by the transferring means is clamped to the rotational driving unit or held to the holder, the transferring means is moved to a position separated from the disk outer periphery. In this state, the disk is rotated and may be moved up and down the holder.
In disk devices disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-217223 and that No. 2003-141809, within the case on one lateral side, transferring means having a number of rollers arranged along a third dimensional direction is provided. On the other side, a guide member is provided. The disk inserted through the insertion opening, with the outer edge of the disk being clamped between the transferring means and the guide member, is conveyed into the case by the rotation of a plurality of the rollers.
In the disk device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-101745, a pair of transfer rollers clamping a disk therebetween is supported rotatably about a support shaft arranged at one end in the axial direction of the rollers as a fulcrum. When the transfer rollers are positioned inside the front surface of the case, the disk inserted through the insertion opening is clamped between the pair of the transfer rollers, so that the disk is then conveyed into the case by the transfer rollers which rotate toward the inside of the case while rotating about their own axes.
However, in the disk devices disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-217223 and that No. 2003-141809, the transferring means, having a number of the rollers, and the guide member extend toward the inside of the case from the inside of the insertion opening, so that the transferring means and the guide member are longitudinally long, occupying a large area inside the case. When the disk is clamped to the rotational driving unit, the transferring means and the guide member are required to be moved in a direction separating them from each other so as to be separated from the outer edge of the disk. Hence, a space for evacuating the transferring means and the guide member is relatively large.
In the disk device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-101745, a motor for driving a pair of the transfer rollers is rotated together with the transfer rollers. Therefore, when the transfer rollers rotate toward the inside of the case, an area for the motor rotation within the case is required, so that the transferring means occupies a large area within the case, preventing the case from being miniaturized.
Also, in the disk device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-101745, a motor rotates the transfer rollers about their own axes, so the transfer rollers are rotated toward the inside of the case using the rotation about their own axes. Hence, with the disk clamped to the rotational driving unit, when the transfer rollers are rotated toward the inside of the case while rotating about their own axes, because of the transfer rollers rotating in the conveying direction, the disk cannot be clamped with the transfer rollers.